The North Atlantic Alliance functions as an arm of US imperial policy – intended for offense, not defense, especially after Soviet Russia dissolved.

World peace and stability are unattainable as long as this killing machine exists, waging endless wars of aggression, raping and destroying one country after another, responsible for countless millions of casualties and vast destruction.

At a time when no alliance enemies exist, they’re invented to justify NATO’s existence, including ISIS and other terrorist groups Washington created and supports, along with all nations on America’s target list for regime change – notably Russia, considered public enemy number one despite threatening no one.

According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko,

“(t)he Skripal affair (is being) used…to tighten the ranks of the European Union and NATO” – at a time of “weakening US hegemony in the Middle East (given) conditions which could lead to a breakup of the” alliance,

Michel Chossudovsky explained, adding:

“Divisions within the Atlantic Alliance could take the form of one or more member states deciding to ‘Exit NATO,’ “ weakening the alliance,” especially its ability to pursue replacing all sovereign independent governments with pro-Western puppet rule.

On July 11 and 12, a NATO summit will be held, Washington pressuring the other 28 members to increase their military spending.

Was the Skripal incident planned to escalate East/West tensions, aiming to pressure NATO members to punish Russia politically and economically, along with increasing their military spending despite no credible threat justifying it?

Indeed so, it appears. According to Grushko,

“all this was planned, including due to the fact that it would be necessary to explain to the public in the near future where the money is going because it is colossal spending.”

The Skripal provocation is being used to justify what’s unjustifiable – manufacturing a Russian threat out of thin air when clearly none exists.

In an atmosphere of Russophobic hysteria, normal relations are fractured, conditions likely to worsen ahead, not improve. Expect further shoes to drop.

Serious consequences are risked if Washington and Britain fail to step back from the brink.

No sign of it so far, a cause for great concern. Nuclear war could erupt despite no one wanting it.

The unthinkable is possible, what should terrify everyone.

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Stephen Lendman is a Research Associate of the CRG, Correspondent of Global Research based in Chicago.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are of sole responsibility of the author(s). The Centre for Research on Globalization will not be responsible for any inaccurate or incorrect statement in this article.